Woman in Real Life

The concept of juicing is pretty simple - throw some fruits and veggies into a good quality juicer and watch as the machine extrudes the fresh, vibrant juices from nature's little antioxidant-rich wonders. But some combinations of fruit and vegetables simply work better than others. I recently made a green juice that turned out to be delicious, so I jotted down the ingredients that I used and snapped a few quick photos. This green juice recipe is so good, it just had to be shared! I'm calling it the best green juice, because it's my new favourite. But tailor the recipe as you see fit. You might like it less sweet, with more greens and less fruit, for example.

Before I share my new favourite green juice recipe, please note you should consult your health care provider prior to consuming green juice, especially if you're taking any medications or have a chronic illness. I'm not a medical or nutrition expert, but I know that concentrated amounts of vitamins (like the vitamin K found in kale) may interact with medications. Fresh juice may also lead to blood sugar spikes, because you get the fruit sugars without fibre. I personally don't juice to "cleanse" my body or to replace meals. I enjoy a fresh green juice now and then for the taste and the boost of vitamins. I also have a diet that's plenty high in fibre, so I'm not worried about occasionally removing the fibre from fruit and veggies while juicing.

I go through periods when I juice fresh fruits and vegetables every morning. These periods last a few days, maybe a week or two. When I stop juicing for a time, it's not because I get tired of the fresh juice. I love to start my day with a glass of liquid sunshine - a nourishing blend of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

There's a lot of buzz around the holidays already - people are talking about shopping for gifts, making goodies and putting up the Christmas tree. It's exciting, for sure. But the holiday season also comes with a lot of stress. It's a bit of a whirlwind. There are so many tasks to manage and maybe you're preparing your home for company or worrying about spending time with people who stress you out. Cold and flu season is also ahead and all the time spent indoors in close proximity to other people increases the possibility of viruses spreading.

All of this sounds dismal, and I don't mean to take the fun out of the holidays. I just want to be conscious that we need to balance the excitement of the holiday season with the need to stay healthy during late fall and winter. Now is a great time to reduce stress as much as possible and provide appropriate care for yourself and your body. One easy way to do this is to drink lots of fluids, like water and herbal tea. Add good sources of fibre to your diet and eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Which brings me (finally) to this tasty and healthful juice/smoothie combo.

Colin Erricson/www.robertrose.ca

January is all about taking a second look at our lives. Do I like where my life is headed? Is there anything I want to change? Whether you make resolutions or not, it can't hurt to consider even a few minor healthful changes. While some may choose to do a full 3-day detox or juice fast, I prefer to go the route of adding more fruits and veggies to my diet. And maybe cutting out some of those chocolates and other tempting items that become a bigger part of our lives during the holiday season.

This first month in a new year is a great time to dust off your juicer and stock up on leafy greens and other veggies. While I tend to juice fruits more often than veggies, that's one gentle change I can make this month that's sure to add a bigger, better variety of nutrients to my diet. For assistance, I am turning to my copy of The Juicing Bible, Second Edition, by Pat Crocker.

When the thermometer is on the rise, it's nice to kick back with a fresh, homemade juice. Juicing can help you increase your consumption of healthy fruits and vegetables. Plus, the water content can work to prevent dehydration. If you have kids, you might possibly get more veggies into them too. In our family, my son will happily try any juice, even if it contains celery or cucumber. My daughter can only be tempted with fruit. But carrot juice is sweet, has a lovely orange colour and is easy to hide among the fruit juice!